Patna, Nov 7 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked people to take a pledge for Swadeshi and prefer Indian goods over foreign products, support rural artisans and farmers, and promote domestic tourism.

He said this after formally launching the programme at the BJP's state headquarters in Patna to mark 150 years of the composition of the national song 'Vande Mataram'.

Administering a pledge to party workers and supporters, HM Shah said the initiative was aimed at bringing Swadeshi into daily practice.

Participants were asked to take a pledge to prioritise Indian products, promote local industries, and encourage the younger generation to adopt Swadeshi values.

He also appealed for greater use of Indian languages in social life and stressed the need to adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable products.

The BJP said its nationwide initiative on the 150-year milestone is aimed at taking the history, emotion and national spirit of Vande Mataram to every citizen.

While the BJP has rolled out a nationwide programme marking 150 years of the composition of the national song 'Vande Mataram', all major national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, are scheduled to address election rallies in Bihar.

Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 and later included in his novel Anandamath.

Rabindranath Tagore set it to tune and presented it at the 1896 Indian National Congress session.

The song became a rallying cry during the freedom movement, and found resonance among leaders such as Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose.

In 1950, India's first President, Rajendra Prasad, accorded it the status of the national song.

Meanwhile, the political temperature within Bihar remains high.

After Phase-1 voting on 121 seats concluded on Thursday, campaigning has now intensified ahead of Phase-2 polling in 18 districts on November 11.

PM Modi is scheduled to hold two rallies - Aurangabad and Bhabhua - on Friday.

/IANS